|
|
| Naples, Italy |  Review on February 11, 2019: |
NoodleW
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
DAY 1 - MEDICAL VISIT at "Istituto Varelli" - January 28th 2019
My parents drove me to Naples super early in the morning to get to the clinic on time, I got in at 7.30am and got a ticket from one of the machines at the entrance pressing the button that says "consulate" and a lady at the front desk called my number right away, checked my passport, gave me a few stickers with a bar code and my name on them (which go on blood and urine samples), I signed a document regarding privacy matters and then she told me to wait for the blood and urine test and showed me the room where I had to go. This first part was super fast and the nurse called me as soon as I finished at the front desk and got my blood and urine samples. For anyone wondering, if you are on your period, it is no problem at all, you can still do the medical, they don't have any problem with that. I was number 8 in line so I would suggest, like many others did before me, that the earlier you'll get to the clinic the sooner you'll be done. Then I waited for the X-Ray, other people from the consulate were there waiting for the radiologist to start. The wait for this was a little longer but I was done 20 minutes after they started. This part is pretty fast as well, I had no earrings or necklaces on and only had to remove my tshirt and bra. After that I went downstairs where I waited a long time in a small room, until my turn came to talk about my immunization records and provide other personal information like my current address and the address in the States. This is when they will need four photos and where you will also be asked if you want to pay in cash, which you can do right away, or if you'll pay by card, which you have to do at the front desk upstairs. I paid the €220 in cash and thankfully I also had all the vaccinations needed (which depend on your age) so I didn't have to pay any extra. After this, I waited in another line for the final medical visit where I have been asked general questions about my medical history, they checked my blood pressure and sight. They also took note of my weight and height and checked my heart and lungs. After this, I was told that the consulate was going to give me the results the next day and that I was free to leave.
I think that the organization of the medical visit in Naples could be improved, they don't really give you any directions or tell you what the next thing to do is and you kind of have to figure out all by yourself or just ask every time at the front desk.
DAY 2 - INTERVIEW - January 29th 2019
My appointment at the consulate was at 8:15am and I got there 15-20 minutes earlier. A guard checked my passport and that my name was on the list and let me in 10 minutes after I arrived. Once inside, I gave my passport to another guard and I went through security just like at the aiport, I left my phone with them and they gave me a number and a pass (to wear on my shirt and also use to pick up my phone later). After that I went upstairs where I sat down and waited for my number to be called by an Italian lady at a desk who asked for my name and passport, she made sure I had all the requested documents, rearranged them and gave them back to me.
The interview was devided in two steps.
Step 1: One of the consulate's functionaries called me at the first window where he asked me general questions about how I met my fiancé and what his job is, he examined all my documents and rearranged them and their copies, gave me the medical results back, took my fingerprints and told me to go sit again and wait for the final phase of the interview with the consul. The documents I presented were passport, DS-160, birth certificate, my police certificates (I had two, the Italian ones and the UK one because I lived there for 4 years), my two Affidavits of Support (my fiancé's and his dad's) with supporting evidence (birth certificates, bank statements, employement letters, pay stubs, tex returns), 2 American passport size photos.
Step 2: The consul called me at a different window where I swore to tell the truth. I spoke English with her the whole time but I think it's not a problem for them if you want to speak Italian. After that the interview began, I was asked very few questions like how my fiancé and I met, how many times and for how long I have been to the States (she asked me for the exact number of days), what my relationship with his parents is like, if we intend to get married in the 90 days allowed by the visa and if we had made plans for the day of the wedding. While she asked the questions she was taking a look at the petition we had sent and also at the documents I brought with me. Then she gave back my original birth certificate and also gave me a 221(g) white paper saying that she simply wanted to see my co-sponsor IRS 2017 tax transcript and to send that to the consulate by email and she said that after that my visa would have been approved.
The evidence of relationship I had prepared wasn't requested at all.
At first it was kind of a disappointment that I wasn't appoved right away, especially because I had all the documents needed, I also had my co-sponsor's 2017 tax return with me at the interview, the only thing was that it wasn't from IRS but just from his employer, who did all his taxes. But fortunately this document was super easy to request online on the IRS website and I email it to the consulate just a few days after the interview.
I was approved six days after the interview, Monday February 4th 2019.
My CEAC status changed to "Application received" the next day, then to "Administrative processing" for two days and finally switched to "Issued" on Friday Feb. 15th.
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #25563